Wing shroud retention system for a bucket of a machine

ABSTRACT

A retention system for retaining a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket is provided. The retention system includes a tube member, a number of washers, and a fastener member. The tube member is positioned within a plurality of openings defined in the wing shroud and the side plate, such that the side plate is arranged within a slot in the wing shroud. The washers coaxially disposes at opposing ends of the tube member and are in abutment with the wing shroud. Inner diameter of the washers is smaller than outer diameter of the tube member. Outer diameter of the washers is greater than inner diameter of the openings in the wing shroud. The fastener member extends through the washers and the tube member, to engage with a nut. Thereby, the washers, the nut, and the fastener member restricts a linear motion of the tube member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a retention system forretention of a wear assembly on a work implement. More particularly, thepresent disclosure relates to the retention system for retention of awing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of an earth-moving machine.

BACKGROUND

Earth-moving machines, such as excavators, are commonly known to employa work implement for performing various operations. For example, anexcavator generally employs a bucket to perform excavation. The buckettypically includes two side plates, one on either side of the bucket.The side plates are subject to abrasion and impact, which may cause theside plates to wearout quickly. To prolong a work life of the sideplates, a replaceable wing shroud is installed on each side plate of thebucket. The wing shroud comprises of a ‘U’ shaped cross-section. Thewing shroud is installed and retained on the side plate, via a retentionsystem.

Conventionally, the retention system includes two snap rings and acentral pin. The central pin includes two grooves provided at opposingends to engage with the snap rings. The snap rings are typicallypositioned in grooves provided at either ends of a first opening in theside plate. The wing shroud is positioned to overlap the side plate,such that a second opening and a third opening of the wing shroud areaxially aligned with the first opening of the side plate. The centralpin is passed through the two snap rings. Such installation requires ahammer to push the central pin past the snap rings, and to sequentiallypass the central pin through each of the second opening, the firstopening, and the third opening. Hammering the central pin into the snaprings may require additional operator effort, which makes it cumbersomefor the operator to install the wing shroud on the side plate.

US Patent Publication 20160115674 discloses a retention system forconnecting a replaceable tool (wing shroud) to a work implement(bucket). The retention system includes a cylindrical pin, a firstfastener, and a second fastener. Although, the retention system avoidshammering of the cylindrical pin, in order to connect the replaceabletool to the work implement, it may require the use of special fastenersto retain the wing shroud on the side plate of the bucket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the present disclosure describe a retention systemfor retaining a wing shroud on a side plate of a bucket of a machine.The retention system includes a tube member, a number of washers, a nut,a fastener member, and a number of bolt protectors. The tube member iscoaxially positioned within a plurality of openings defined in the wingshroud and the side plate, such that the side plate is arranged within aslot provided in the wing shroud. The washers are disposed coaxially atopposing ends of the tube member, such that the washers are in abutmentwith the wing shroud. An inner diameter of the washers is smaller thanan outer diameter of the tube member. An outer diameter of the washersis greater than an inner diameter of the openings in the wing shroud.The fastener member is extended through the washers and the tube member,to engage with a nut. The washers, the nut, and the fastener memberrestricts a linear motion of the tube member along a longitudinal axis.The bolt protectors are further attached to opposing external surfacesof the wing shroud. The bolt protectors are adapted to house thewashers, a portion of the fastener member, the second washer, and thenut.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bucket of a machine, illustrating twowing shrouds installed on two side plates of the bucket, in accordancewith the concepts of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the bucket of FIG. 1, illustrating anassembly of a first side plate, a first wing shroud, and two retainingsystems, in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the bucket of FIG. 1 takenalong a section 3-3′, illustrating the assembly between the first sideplate, the first wing shroud, and one of the two retention systems ofthe bucket, in accordance with the concepts of the present disclosure;and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the portion of the bucket ofFIG. 1 taken along a section 3-3′, illustrating structure andarrangement of a washer of the retention system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary bucket 10 of an earth-moving machine(not shown) is shown. The bucket 10 performs digging operations on awork surface (not shown). Although, concepts of the present disclosureare described as applied to the bucket 10, applicability to variousother work implements may also be contemplated. Examples of the workimplements include, but is not limited to, a shovel, a dragline, ablade, and a dozer.

The bucket 10 includes a first side plate 12, a second side plate 14,and a shell plate 16 disposed between the first side plate 12 and thesecond side plate 14. The first side plate 12 and the second side plate14 are vertical plates disposed on either sides of the bucket 10. Eachof the first side plate 12 and the second side plate 14 defines twofirst openings 18 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), proximal to a work-facingsurface 20 of each of the first side plate 12 and the second side plate14. The shell plate 16 is a C-shaped curved plate extending between thefirst side plate 12 and the second side plate 14. The shell plate 16supports a number of equally spaced ground engaging tools 22, whichperform excavation on the work surface (not shown). Moreover, the firstside plate 12, the second side plate 14, and the shell plate 16, inconjunction, define an enclosed space 24. The enclosed space 24 retainsexcavated work material, during excavation of the work surface (notshown). Furthermore, the bucket 10 employs two wing shrouds 26, 28,namely a first wing shroud 26 and a second wing shroud 28. The firstwing shroud 26 and the second wing shroud 28 cover a portion of thefirst side plate 12 and the second side plate 14, respectively. For easein reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of the firstwing shroud 26 relative to the first side plate 12, will be describedhereinafter. Similar structure and arrangement of the second wing shroud28 relative to the second side plate 14 may also be contemplated.

Referring to FIG. 2, an assembly 30 of the first side plate 12, thefirst wing shroud 26, and two retention systems 32, is shown. The firstwing shroud 26 is a U-shaped member that includes a first portion 36, asecond portion 38, and a slot 40 (shown in FIG. 3) between the firstportion 36 and the second portion 38. The first portion 36 of the firstwing shroud 26 includes two second openings 42 (shown in FIG. 3).Similarly, the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26 includestwo third openings 44. The third openings 44 of the second portion 38are axially aligned with the second openings 42 (shown in FIG. 3) of thefirst portion 36. Additionally, the first wing shroud 26 is positionedon the first side plate 12, such that the first side plate 12 ispositioned in the slot 40 of the first wing shroud 26. In sucharrangement, the second openings 42 (shown in FIG. 3) of the firstportion 36 and the third openings 44 of the second portion 38 axiallyaligns with the first openings 18 of the first side plate 12.

Moreover, the retention systems 32 are provided to retain the first wingshroud 26 to the first side plate 12. More specifically, one retentionsystem 32 generally extends through one of the second openings 42 (shownin FIG. 3) of the first portion 36, one of the first openings 18 of thefirst side plate 12, and one of the third openings 44 of the secondportion 38. Another retention system 32 extends through other of thesecond openings 42 (shown in FIG. 3) of the first portion 36, other ofthe first openings 18 of the first side plate 12, and other of the thirdopenings 44 of the second portion 38. For ease in reference andunderstanding, structure and arrangement of a singular retention system32 relative to the first side plate 12 and the first wing shroud 26,will be describe in details hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the retention system 32 retains the firstwing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12. The retention system 32includes a tube member 46, a first washer 48, a second washer 50, a nut52, a fastener member 54, a first bolt protector 56, and a second boltprotector 58.

The tube member 46 is an elongated member that includes a first end 60and a second end 62. The tube member 46 is coaxially positioned withineach of the third opening 44 of the second portion 38 of the first wingshroud 26, the first opening 18 of the first side plate 12, and thesecond opening 42 of the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26,along a longitudinal axis X-X′. More specifically, the first end 60 ofthe tube member 46 flushes with a first exterior surface 64 of the firstportion 36. The second end 62 of the tube member 46 flushes with asecond exterior surface 66 of the second portion 38.

The first washer 48 is disposed in abutment with the first end 60 of thetube member 46. The first washer 48 extends radially to abut with thefirst exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wingshroud 26. As is shown in FIG. 4, an inner diameter, I of the firstwasher 48 is relatively smaller than an outer diameter, OT of the tubemember 46. Also, an outer diameter, O, of the first washer 48 isrelatively greater than an inner diameter, IG of the second opening 42in the first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26. Therefore, thefirst washer 48 abuts with the first end 60 of the tube member 46 andthe first portion 36 of the first wing shroud 26.

The second washer 50 is disposed in abutment with the second end 62 ofthe tube member 46. The second washer 50 extends radially to abut withthe second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26. Structure andarrangement of the second washer 50 is similar to the first washer 48.Therefore, the second washer 50 abuts with the second end 62 of the tubemember 46 and the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26.

The nut 52 is disposed in abutment with the second washer 50, proximalto the second end 62 of the tube member 46. The nut 52 is axiallyaligned with the second washer 50, along the longitudinal axis X-X′.

The fastener member 54 is extended through the first washer 48, the tubemember 46, and the second washer 50, to engage with the nut 52.Therefore, the first washer 48, the second washer 50, the nut 52, andthe fastener member 54 of the retention system 32 restricts a linearmotion of the tube member 46, along the longitudinal axis X-X′.

In an embodiment, the first bolt protector 56 is fixedly attached to thefirst exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wingshroud 26. The first bolt protector 56 houses the first washer 48 and aportion of the fastener member 54 of the retention system 32.

The second bolt protector 58 is fixedly attached to the second exteriorsurface 66 of the second portion 38 of the first wing shroud 26. Thesecond bolt protector 58 houses and protects the second washer 50 andthe nut 52 of the retention system 32.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In operation, the first wing shroud 26 and the second wing shroud 28 arerequired to be installed on the first side plate 12 and the second sideplate 14, respectively of the bucket 10. For ease in reference andunderstanding, installation of the first wing shroud 26 on the firstside plate 12 will be described in details hereinafter. However, similarinstallation of the second wing shroud 28 on the second side plate 14may also be contemplated. To perform such installation, the first wingshroud 26 is initially positioned on the first side plate 12, such thatthe first side plate 12 is positioned in the slot 40 of the first wingshroud 26. More specifically, the first wing shroud 26 is positioned onthe first side plate 12, such that the second openings 42 and the thirdopenings 44 of the first wing shroud 26 are axially aligned with thefirst openings 18 of the first side plate 12. Thereafter, two retentionsystems 32 retains the first wing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12.For ease in reference and understanding, structure and arrangement of asingular retention system 32 will be discussed in details.

In order to retain the first wing shroud 26 to the first side plate 12,the tube member 46 is initially pushed through each of the first opening18 of the first side plate 12 and the second opening 42 and the thirdopening 44 of the first wing shroud 26. With such arrangement, the firstend 60 of the tube member 46 flushes with the first exterior surface 64of the first portion 36. Additionally, the second end 62 of the tubemember 46 flushes with the second exterior surface 66 of the secondportion 38. Thereafter, the first washer 48 is assembled with thefastener member 54. The second washer 50 is then positioned in abutmentwith the second end 62 of the tube member 46 and the second exteriorsurface 66 of the second portion 38. The nut 52 is further positioned inabutment with the second washer 50. Thereafter, the assembly of thefastener member 54 and the first washer 48 is extended through the tubemember 46 and the second washer 50, to engage with the nut 52. With sucharrangement, the first washer 48 is positioned in abutment with thefirst exterior surface 64 of the first portion 36 of the first wingshroud 26. Therefore, the first wing shroud 26 is attached to the firstside plate 12. The first bolt protector 56 and the second bolt protector58 are then attached to the first portion 36 and the second portion 38,respectively of the first wing shroud 26. The first bolt protector 56and the second bolt protector 58, in conjunction, protects the firstwasher 48, the second washer 50, the nut 52, and a portion of thefastener member 54. Installation with such retention system 32eliminates hammering of the tube member 46. Therefore, such retentionsystem 32 facilitates relatively easy installation of the first wingshroud 26 on the first side plate 12.

Furthermore, the inner diameter, I of the first washer 48 and the secondwasher 50 is relatively smaller than the outer diameter, OT of the tubemember 46. Additionally, the outer diameter, O of the first washer 48and the second washer 50 is relatively greater than the inner diameter,IG of the second opening 42 and the third opening 44. Therefore, thefirst washer 48 and the second washer 50, in conjunction with the nut 52and the fastener member 54 restricts a linear movement of the tubemember 46. This corresponds to efficient installation of the first wingshroud 26 on the first side plate 12 of the bucket 10. Ease ininstallation of the first wing shroud 26 on the first side plate 12reduces downtime of the machine (not shown). This further reducesoverall machine service cost.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown anddescribed with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may becontemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems, andmethods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure as determined based upon the claim(s) and anyequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A retention system for retaining a wing shroud ona side plate of a bucket of a machine, the retention system comprising:a tube member coaxially positioned within a plurality of openingsdefined in the wing shroud and the side plate, such that the side plateis arranged within a slot provided in the wing shroud; a plurality ofwashers disposed coaxially at opposing ends of the tube member and is inabutment with the wing shroud, wherein an inner diameter of theplurality of washers is smaller than an outer diameter of the tubemember and wherein an outer diameter of the plurality of washers isgreater than an inner diameter of the plurality of openings in the wingshroud; and a fastener member extending through the plurality of washersand the tube member, to engage with a nut, wherein the plurality ofwashers, the nut, and the fastener member restricts a linear motion ofthe tube member along a longitudinal axis.
 2. The retention system ofclaim 1, wherein the retention system includes a plurality of boltprotectors attached to opposing external surfaces of the wing shroud,the plurality of bolt protectors being adapted to house the plurality ofwashers, at least a portion of the fastener member, and the nut.